Dr. P. B. J. Hewawasam by Lionel M. Mendis


 Dr. P. B. J. Hewawasam,  Sinhala Teacher at St. Aloysius College, Galle, 1950-1962


Article by Lionel Mendis, which appeared at page 189 of the Aloysian Diamond Jubilee Souvenir, & included in the Facebook Page of Mr. L. K. Hettiarachchi / Friends Who Like Saint Aloysius' College Galle photos 1950/1960.

“Dr. P.B.J. Hewawasam was born in the coastal village of Patuwata, Dodanduwa in 1908. He began his professional life as a teacher of English, in 1928. He first served the village where he was born by initiating action to set up a bilingual school for the benefit of the villagers. He first taught there on a voluntary basis. 

In 1936 he qualified as a 1st Class English Trained Teacher, after which he served in many of the leading educational institutions in the South. The better part of his teaching career was spent at St. Aloysius' College, Galle (1950-1961). It was here that his real talents were recognized and fostered. 

He read for the Bachelor of Arts Degree of the University of London and in 1955, was awarded a first class Honours Degree in Sinhala. In 1962 he was awarded the Ph.D by the University of Sri Lanka, for his thesis on the Literature of the Matara Period . Thereafter, he served as a lecturer in the University of Sri Lanka, and retired in 1971.


His thesis on the Matara period was published by the Cultural Affairs Department. In 1966 he won a Sahithya Award for this work. In 1986 he also received a special Presidential Award for this book. It was later translated into English by the author himself and was published in 1987. 

His other works include Panthis Kolmura Kavi , the Sinhala translation of Fr. S.G. Perera's History of the Portuguese, Dutch & British periods and Dodanduwa Puvatha where he records the history of the `Unknown Cromwells' of his Southern village. He also compiled a book on Intelligence Testing which is yet to be published. He remained creative to the very end of his life. His last literary effort was a poem written to one of the Rev. Fathers of St. Aloysius' College. It was written the day before he suffered a fatal stroke. He died on 15th October, 1988. “

Lionel M. Mendis


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